Franklin D. Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) Democratic Party Terms (3): March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 Vice Presidents: John Garner (1933-1941) Henry Wallace (1941-1945) Harry Truman (1945) Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated during the nation’s largest financial crisis to date. To take on such a situation two things could happen, according to a friend of Roosevelt, either he would go down in history as one of the greatest presidents when he succeeded or his failing would make him one of the worst. I disagree. I think FDR did an extremely average job in that his pros and cons evened out. He trekked out of a financial crisis through huge deficit spending and caused issues in WWII in his attempt to stay neutral while still supporting the Allies. If the people elect someone four times in a row, then something must be right. For not showing any great presidential abilities but not doing a bad job either, FDR deserves the grade of a C+. For his first term as president, FDR’s main goals were the “Three R’s”; Relief, Recovery, Reform. Post-stock market crash most people had lost trust in the banks and at least 25% of people were unemployed. He set out to accomplish this with his “New Deal”. Though these projects give the appearance of good things they weren’t enough to make a significant impact on the situation. For his second term, FDR wanted to stay neutral in the war but still attempt to keep up support against communism. This wasn’t quite possible especially when Germans had begun to attack American ships. Finally in his third term, FDR desired an end to the war and for this to happen as peacefully as possible. It was unfortunate that FDR did not live to see the fruits of his labor when he died away about a year into his fourth term. FDR was definitely blessed with a favorable democratic majority in Congress. This is what allowed him to pass a significant amount of legislation, along with the fact that the issues he was dealing with were pressing. If one were to see FDR’s 635 vetoes and the fact that he vetoed the most legislation of any president, they may be misled. His being elected to four terms would explain the amount of vetoes, along with the fact that there were a lot of new ideas for solutions going around. The most positive action by FDR was his New Deal. Technically FDR’s policies did not take the country out of the depression economically, however they did a great deal for the American peoples’ moral. After the stock market crash, Americans took their savings out of the unstable banks in a state of panic. To restore trust in financial institutions, FDR passed legislation such as the Glass-Steagall Act and Securities Exchange Act. This may be the area where FDR was most successful and had legislation that stood the test of time. To deal with the millions of unemployed people, FDR put them to work. He created things such as the Public Works Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC in particular not only put young men to work and developed youth, it also promoted FDR’s conservation concept. This concept came up again when he established the Soil Conservation act which encouraged farmers to plant things such as soybeans which conserved soil. Though World War II was what actually pulled America out of depression, FDR did gain the people’s trust by fighting big business and fighting for the “forgotten man.” The most negative action by FDR happened during the pre- war period, where he was attempting to stay neutral. He did a lackluster job, to say the least, in this effort. The idea of staying neutral in such a complicated conflict, which we were physically isolated from, makes sense. However, it was not only inevitable that we would eventually be affected and forced into fighting but the plan wasn’t properly executed. He wanted to make America the “Arsenal of Democracy” by supplying munitions for the war. This left him to decide who the aggressors and protectors were, thus forcing him to take sides and not remaining neutral. He then sought to replace the Neutrality Act of 1936 with the “cash and carry policy”. This sent an unofficial declaration of war in Hitler’s mind and threw us into a war we were ready to fight but could have gotten involved in on our own terms. The most influential part of FDR’s presidency on future administrations would be the United Nations. He created the United Nations to create a permanent organization which would keep the peace in the world. Though he would die six months before the UN was ratified, FDR’s devotion to foreign affairs including the securing of Stalin’s agreement to the UN was vital to its creation. Eleanor Roosevelt actually was appointed chairman of the Human Rights Commission where she then drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, after her husband’s death. The UN would go on to end the Korean War, resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis, and send aid to tsunami victims, among other things. In conclusion, the middle ground produced by Roosevelt’s mediocrity in handling the up rise of the war, the leaps forward in the legislation of the new deal, and the successes in foreign policy, all add up to Roosevelt’s grade of a C+.
(January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945)
Democratic Party
Terms (3): March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
Vice Presidents: John Garner (1933-1941)
Henry Wallace (1941-1945)
Harry Truman (1945)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated during the nation’s largest financial crisis to date. To take on such a situation two things could happen, according to a friend of Roosevelt, either he would go down in history as one of the greatest presidents when he succeeded or his failing would make him one of the worst. I disagree. I think FDR did an extremely average job in that his pros and cons evened out. He trekked out of a financial crisis through huge deficit spending and caused issues in WWII in his attempt to stay neutral while still supporting the Allies. If the people elect someone four times in a row, then something must be right. For not showing any great presidential abilities but not doing a bad job either, FDR deserves the grade of a C+.
For his first term as president, FDR’s main goals were the “Three R’s”; Relief, Recovery, Reform. Post-stock market crash most people had lost trust in the banks and at least 25% of people were unemployed. He set out to accomplish this with his “New Deal”. Though these projects give the appearance of good things they weren’t enough to make a significant impact on the situation. For his second term, FDR wanted to stay neutral in the war but still attempt to keep up support against communism. This wasn’t quite possible especially when Germans had begun to attack American ships. Finally in his third term, FDR desired an end to the war and for this to happen as peacefully as possible. It was unfortunate that FDR did not live to see the fruits of his labor when he died away about a year into his fourth term.
FDR was definitely blessed with a favorable democratic majority in Congress. This is what allowed him to pass a significant amount of legislation, along with the fact that the issues he was dealing with were pressing. If one were to see FDR’s 635 vetoes and the fact that he vetoed the most legislation of any president, they may be misled. His being elected to four terms would explain the amount of vetoes, along with the fact that there were a lot of new ideas for solutions going around.
The most positive action by FDR was his New Deal. Technically FDR’s policies did not take the country out of the depression economically, however they did a great deal for the American peoples’ moral. After the stock market crash, Americans took their savings out of the unstable banks in a state of panic. To restore trust in financial institutions, FDR passed legislation such as the Glass-Steagall Act and Securities Exchange Act. This may be the area where FDR was most successful and had legislation that stood the test of time. To deal with the millions of unemployed people, FDR put them to work. He created things such as the Public Works Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC in particular not only put young men to work and developed youth, it also promoted FDR’s conservation concept. This concept came up again when he established the Soil Conservation act which encouraged farmers to plant things such as soybeans which conserved soil. Though World War II was what actually pulled America out of depression, FDR did gain the people’s trust by fighting big business and fighting for the “forgotten man.”
The most negative action by FDR happened during the pre- war period, where he was attempting to stay neutral. He did a lackluster job, to say the least, in this effort. The idea of staying neutral in such a complicated conflict, which we were physically isolated from, makes sense. However, it was not only inevitable that we would eventually be affected and forced into fighting but the plan wasn’t properly executed. He wanted to make America the “Arsenal of Democracy” by supplying munitions for the war. This left him to decide who the aggressors and protectors were, thus forcing him to take sides and not remaining neutral. He then sought to replace the Neutrality Act of 1936 with the “cash and carry policy”. This sent an unofficial declaration of war in Hitler’s mind and threw us into a war we were ready to fight but could have gotten involved in on our own terms.
The most influential part of FDR’s presidency on future administrations would be the United Nations. He created the United Nations to create a permanent organization which would keep the peace in the world. Though he would die six months before the UN was ratified, FDR’s devotion to foreign affairs including the securing of Stalin’s agreement to the UN was vital to its creation. Eleanor Roosevelt actually was appointed chairman of the Human Rights Commission where she then drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, after her husband’s death. The UN would go on to end the Korean War, resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis, and send aid to tsunami victims, among other things.
In conclusion, the middle ground produced by Roosevelt’s mediocrity in handling the up rise of the war, the leaps forward in the legislation of the new deal, and the successes in foreign policy, all add up to Roosevelt’s grade of a C+.
Sources:http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/4
Presidential Campaigns: Paul F. Boller
http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/un.htm
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/52947/david-c-hendrickson/fdr-and-the-creation-of-the-un
http://www.betterworldcampaign.org/us-un-relations/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/fdryears.htm